India’s new rules for overseas students baffling

In the absence of clarification, the abrupt decision reflects the government’s opacity and insensitivity

It would be logical to assume that when a fundamental shift in policy that can impact hundreds of thousands of individuals is taken, it would be done in synergy with prudence and forethought, accompanied by an explanation or clarification.

However, the Indian government’s decision to change an important admission clause for overseas students seeking a seat in its engineering colleges meets none of these expectations. The Direct Admission of Students Abroad (DASA) scheme, initiated by India’s Ministry of Human Resource Development in 2001 is meant for students who are non-resident Indians, foreigners and persons of Indian origin who are seeking admission to undergraduate and postgraduate courses in premier technical institutes in India. Until 2016, the leading eligibility criteria were a two-year education period abroad in grades 11 and 12 and Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores of 1,800.

Now, in the blink of an eye, the clause demands that student aspirants should have spent at least five years abroad. This is a drastic shift of the goalpost, particularly as it is unaccompanied by any understanding of the decision’s genesis. For thousands of students who were gearing up for the next phase of their future, this is a severe push back, particularly as the 2017 admissions brochure has already been published.

It is not an overstatement to say that in the absence of any clarification, the decision reflects the insensitivity and opacity of the Indian government. Surely, were the policymakers not unaware of the implications of such a move? And why could this decision have not been deferred to the next academic year to allow parents and students to explore other options? There is much on this topic that the government of India needs to answer for.